


Size Me Up

by shadowolfhunter



Series: Falling In Love and Other Places [1]
Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Bite!Kink, Fluffy, M/M, distinctly porny, plot what plot?, possibly even schmoopy, size!kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-02-14
Packaged: 2018-03-11 08:45:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3321146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowolfhunter/pseuds/shadowolfhunter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick Burkhardt and Sean Renard have been together a little while now, they're starting to settle into their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It's Not The Mileage, It's The Distance

**Author's Note:**

> from two prompts on tumblr. bisspateralligator.tumblr.com
> 
> And I wanted to do fluffy... and this is cotton candy fluffy, beware of enamel dropping off your teeth!

It’s still dark out when Nick Burkhardt has to rise, mostly to answer the call of nature, but also because he has a hard-ass captain who will be all over his butt if he’s late to work.

That the hard-ass captain is still asleep in their bed, doesn’t really matter. Nick’s lips twitch as he remembers last night. Wow. He rolls over sleepily, and makes a grab for his boxers which, for once, ended up on the floor next to his side of the bed.

He totters to his feet, stretching and yawning, he’ll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after he’s staggered through the morning ritual of strong coffee and a nice hot shower. With those thoughts in his head, he grabs a shirt from the floor barely breaking stride, it’s only when he slings it on that he realizes it’s Sean’s shirt. For a second he appreciates the softness of the high quality material as it glides against his skin, and the wonderful heady aroma of his boyfriend’s expensive cologne, then the shirt settles over his shoulders, and a vague sense of annoyance settles with it. The shoulders hang off Nick’s shoulders a good three inches each side, the sleeves are far too long, the cuffs falling past Nick’s hands, the body of the shirt, which Sean fills admirably, Nick can wrap all the way across his chest, and still have room to move. If he did the buttons up, he could walk around inside it without moving it.

It’s a very irritated sigh, tinged with a deep affection and a rueful fondness. Nick doesn’t really mind that his boyfriend (he mutters that word to himself a couple of times, goofy smile on his face… it’s just too good) is bigger than him. The six inch difference in their heights is one thing, but his Sean is built like a truck, powerful arms, broad chest, beautifully sculpted muscle, not too heavy and overblown like a body-builder but just perfect, Nick isn’t under-sized or skinny, he’s got his own nicely ripped body, it’s just smaller than Sean’s. Sometimes being smaller can get old kinda fast.

Nick starts the coffee machine. It’s taken him a while to get the hang of it, Sean’s apartment is very high end, and the appliances are pretty space-age. Nick’s fundamentally a simple creature. He prefers the press-the-button type, which doesn’t have a scary digital display which Nick is pretty sure is expressing disapproval of his fumbling. He’s on his own, Sean’s still asleep, which very rarely happens, and gives Nick this funny sweet feeling.

While the coffee’s brewing, he heads to the shower. There’s a shower ensuite off their bedroom, but Nick wants to bring Sean a coffee and kiss him awake. Showering in the ensuite would definitely wake him.

He drops the shirt on the dresser, discards the boxers, and dives in the shower.

The water comes to the perfect temperature with surprising rapidity, but Sean programmed it, so that’s no surprise. Nick scrubs up quickly, turns the water off, hops out grabbing a large towel. Sometimes he could swear that Sean’s towels are twice the size of normal towels, he wraps himself in it, appreciates the warmth and softness as he dries in double quick time. Then realizes that he never picked up clean boxers, in fact he’s only got Sean’s shirt to put on.

Nick breathes in as the soft material settles around him again, Sean’s cologne is intoxicating to him, the tail of the shirt covers his butt nicely, the shirt hits the top of his thighs, for the heck of it Nick does up a couple of buttons, the shirt swamps him, but the wave of love that accompanies the simple act of putting on his boyfriend’s shirt makes Nick smile.

He pads back into the kitchen. Sean’s at the counter, he has pale sea-green sleep pants on, silk, they ride low on his hips emphasizing the impressive six pack abs, the ripped line of Sean’s hips, the length of his straight, strong, lean-muscled back.

Nick feels the tiniest kick of disappointment even as he’s admiring the view, because he wanted to wake Sean, but damn the sight of the Captain at rest is impressive and several kinds of wonderful, especially that look that Sean is giving him.

Nick wonders how he ever thought his captain was stern, cold, manipulative, even devious and possibly dangerous. Those beautiful green eyes glow with happiness, and that happiness is Nick-shaped. Renard is undeniably very dangerous, but not to Nick.

He moves in close. They’re chest to chest as Sean wraps those long, muscular arms around him, tiniest twitch of that annoyance again, as Nick realizes how far he has to tip his head back to look his Sean in the eye when they are this close.

From the slight twitch of Sean’s lips, he knows his boyfriend has picked up on that size vibe that occasionally has Nick all hot and bothered.

The kiss is a red-hot, heat-seeking missile of a kiss, the kind that Nick is certain would stop a marauding siegbarste in its tracks. Sean lifts, Nick finds his butt on the kitchen counter, the only thing between skin and surface the tail of Sean’s shirt, Nick thinks he and Sean should actually care about that, hygiene and all, but he’s too busy wrapping his legs around his boyfriend’s incredibly hot body, and if Nick digs his heels into Sean’s lower back to move his captain even closer, Sean doesn’t object.

The kiss changes key, becoming softer, more romantic. Sean has a romantic streak a mile wide when he’s not fighting for his life, and jockeying to keep his position in the political world.

Nick threads his fingers gently through Sean’s short-cropped hair at the nape of his neck. Sometimes Nick just knows what his love needs. The tough, stern captain needs the reassurance that there is someone in his life who has no agenda, who’s just there for him. It’s an unspoken thing between them, but something that Nick never neglects. Sean’s had a shitty childhood and most of his life is a deadly almost daily struggle, so Nick tries to give him the peace the man sorely needs.

The tenderness of the Captain’s kiss breaks though, and Nick holds him close. Sean is a lot more vulnerable than he would ever admit to or ask for, Nick makes sure he never needs to ask.

Sean Renard is a practical, tough and politically-savvy man. Admitting how badly he needs his boyfriend, even to himself, sometimes comes very hard. Nick is the Grimm, he’s young, inexperienced, brilliant and he’s so intuitive he gives Sean exactly what he needs and wants without the older man even asking.

Nick Burkhardt is every beat of Sean Renard’s heart. Sean has known love before, his mother’s love, and that long ago lover destroyed by Sean’s Royal connections; but this… this is intense on a level that Sean didn’t really know existed. He’s in love. Nick means everything. Sean would unmake the world to save his boyfriend.

Knowing Nick loves him back just as powerfully nearly brings Sean to his knees. This is forever love and despite the day to day life that Sean leads, for the first time since he was a young child he can feel a sense of peace.

He can also feel the tiny twinge of annoyance, knows that Nick is feeling a touch sensitive about their size difference again. A certain tender amusement rises up in Sean’s soul again. Privately he loves seeing Nick looking up at him, having to go on tip-toe to stretch up to kiss him, being half-drowned in Sean’s shirts. It’s freaking adorable.

He starts to bank the fires down a little, because otherwise they are going to be late, and he has a very tedious meeting with one of Portland’s more pompous officials to get through. He eases back, breaking the kiss, and cannot resist planting a swift one on the tip of Nick’s nose.

Which action naturally gets him a glare. Nick is a tough guy, but he’s also sensitive, empathetic and intelligent, still no one’s push over. Being kissed on the tip of his nose is one of his things. No. It’s just that Sean finds the whole size thing and Nick’s reaction to it, cute… and surprisingly hot.

The lilac shirt looks particularly good on Nick, the colour does wonderful things for Nick’s eyes and Sean rolls around in his mind the viability of buying one in Nick’s size, versus whether Nick would accept it because the Captain’s shirts don’t come cheap and Nick can be fussy that way.

He doesn’t mind presents, he just has a vested objection to feeling like a kept man.

They’ve been together four months, it’s been officially known for two, and they both know that they will be watched for a while longer. If Sean appears to favour Nick, or Nick appears to be asking for liberties, they know they will be split up.

The Chief of Police is in their corner though, especially as Sean’s department clear-up rate, already high, has gone through the roof since he and Nick got together.

The coffee announces itself with a loud beep, and reluctantly they let go of each other.

Nick glances at the clock on the oven, and mutters a swear word to himself.

“What?” Sean’s curious, he doesn’t know what Nick’s day is going to be like, although unless they catch a case, it will be filled with paperwork. He fixes a slightly stern gaze, Nick’s paperwork is impeccable, yet sometimes he has to be harried to do it.

“I said I would swing by and collect Hank, in ten minutes. His car’s in the shop.”

Sean rolls his eyes a little, knowing that Hank is at least fifteen minutes away and Nick was nowhere near ready.

“Go.” He presses a kiss to his boyfriend’s lips. “I’ll clear up.”

The sight of his boyfriend’s beautiful cheeky smile, makes the Captain grin broadly. Any day that begins with that smile is going to be a good one.

He concentrates on clearing up, pauses for a goodbye kiss as his lover literally runs out of the door, and heads off to shower himself.

He pauses in front of the vanity, and it’s then he sees it.

Sean closes his eyes and sighs heavily. He could scarcely blame his boyfriend for something that gets Sean off so comprehensively, but… he eyes the substantial Grimm love bite on the side of his throat. Cautiously he presses a finger to it. It aches, and he’s fairly certain his shirt collar is not quite going to cover it.

He remembers that beautiful, cheeky grin, those clear grey-blue eyes that just sparkle.

“Nick.” He growls, as he shakes his head ruefully.


	2. Risk and Reward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> End of a shitty week, Nick and Sean come together.

It’s the end of a really shitty week. Nick is tired, the Grimm stuff has been surprisingly minimal, but his detective duties have been pushing a lot of stuff into the background.

He’s barely seen Sean. And something has gone down, because Sean didn’t even come home the last two nights.

He’s so goddamn tired, he’s standing in the kitchen just gazing at the fridge door, trying to summon the energy to get a beer.

He hears a scraping sound. Something is trying to get into their apartment. From somewhere Nick finds a small burst of energy to go and check it out.

He whips the front door open, and it’s Sean.

If Nick’s tired, Sean’s in a no man’s land beyond exhausted. The scraping sound is Sean’s fourth fumbling attempt to put his key in the lock.

Suddenly a lot more awake, Nick slides an arm around his boyfriend’s waist, catches the keys before they drop to the ground, and pulls Sean into the apartment.

The larger man is stumblingly exhausted. There are some nasty-looking cuts on his face, and Nick knows where there are cuts that are visible, the chances are that what’s hidden by Sean’s clothes is quite a bit worse.

Nick guides his Sean to bed. Undresses him, notes the bad bruising to his side, the cuts and scrapes and gashes which are revealed when Nick’s got him out of his raincoat, ruined jacket and destroyed shirt.

“God… Sean.” Nick breathes.

Sean turns pain-dulled green eyes to his boyfriend. “I’ve had worse.” He has to clear his throat twice to get the words out, even then they are scratchy and mumbled. Nothing like his usual clear authoritative voice.

“Stay here.” Nick leaves Sean sitting on their bed, blessedly naked, and goes to their ensuite to grab supplies. Warm water in a bowl, cotton swabs, ace bandages, cream for his bruises.

Sean’s still sitting there when Nick gets back, he’s dozing, too tired to have shifted enough to even lie down. Nick starts to clean and tend to his boyfriend’s injuries.

Somewhere in the back of Sean’s wiped out mind lurks this little seed of pure joy that his beloved boyfriend is so gentle. Sean’s tough, he barely feels the touch that cleanses each cut, applies tape to the worst of them, spreads cream on even the most painful bruises. He’s lost in his bone-deep tiredness, but the warmth of well-being is holding him secure.

Finally Nick’s satisfied everything is clean, bandaged or smothered in cream. He takes a chance and very carefully palpates the ribs under the worst of the bruises. He’s fairly certain that at least one rib is cracked, but the look in Sean’s eyes when he suggests that they go to the emergency room convinces him that’s not happening. And an ambulance is overkill.

He cleans everything away, helps Sean into sleep pants, and then tries to maneuver his much larger and heavier boyfriend under the covers without hurting him further. He’s not entirely successful, as he hears some grunts quickly suppressed, as Sean tries to keep how much he’s hurting from Nick.

Finally the Captain is under the covers, Nick slides in next to him on his undamaged side, and to his surprise, his boyfriend finds the energy from somewhere to roll onto his side into Nick’s arms. 

Nick manages to turn out the light, while moving to settle Sean comfortably against his body. Sean is heavy and muscular, but Nick welcomes the weight, the solid feeling of his boyfriend in his arms.

Some primal need in Sean wants comfort, and Nick gives it to him unconditionally.

It’s still dark when Nick wakes, Sean has barely moved from where he settled the night before, and a quick brush of Nick’s lips against Sean’s forehead tells the young Grimm that his boyfriend has the beginnings of a low-grade fever.

Nick’s relieved that he’s on his forty-eight, so he can look after his injured lover. Just because Nick’s on his downtime, doesn’t mean that Sean doesn’t have some meeting or something organized. Pulling the quilt up, and tucking it around Sean to keep him warm, Nick slides out.

Twenty minutes later, Nick has found Sean’s diary, determined that for once it is blessedly empty, forced down that little kick of disappointment that they could have had forty-eight hours of uninterrupted fun, and made breakfast.

Sean stretches a little under the covers, everything aches, no surprise there, and he feels a little too warm and slightly queasy which tells him his body is less than impressed with the way he’s treated it for the last seventy-two hours or so. But Nick’s there, with orange juice and Tylenol, and even though he feels like several shades of hammered shit, Sean can’t help the smile on his face. Right now he’s not up to much, but they have a clear forty-eight hours… even feeling shitty, Sean is pleased at the prospect.

He eases over onto his back, and slides up the bed while Nick tucks pillows behind him. Takes the juice and the tablets, and settles.

“Pancakes.” Nick blushes a little, he’s nowhere near as good in the kitchen as Sean, but he can do pancakes and he knows that Sean likes them. Nick’s gotten used to the lack of meat in his diet, Sean’s a vegetarian, so there’s no bacon, but plenty of syrup, and preserves, and a nice bowl full of cut up fruit.

Despite the aches and pains, and the queasy feeling, Sean finds he’s ravenous. Probably a result of barely eating breakfast more than forty-eight hours before, but he’s not going to tell Nick that, Nick worries quite enough about a lot of things.

Once the pancakes have gone, Nick removes the mess, and they curl up together with the bowl of fruit. There’s no television in the bedroom, Sean didn’t have one when Nick moved in, and there’s a tv in the sitting room, so Nick didn’t bother about another one. But he has got his laptop, there’s movies, and a couple of other things on there, so they won’t be short of that kind of entertainment.

The bowl of fruit is giving Sean ideas. From the twinges in his body as he moves, following through on those ideas right now might be a bad idea, but that doesn’t mean things can’t get a little more entertaining later. He eases back into the pillows again, leaning against Nick, and accepts Nick’s choice of movie without too much fuss.

“Pompeii?” Sean raises an eyebrow, forgetting that it’s gonna hurt on that side.

Nick blushes furiously for a moment, and now Sean’s really intrigued.

“Yeah.” Nick’s cheeks are bright pink, and he’s about to change the movie, when Sean puts his hand over Nick’s.

“Let’s see it.” Sean can’t help it, he finds his boyfriend’s blushes adorable.

Half an hour later, Sean wonders just how many times Nick has watched this movie. “A few.” Nick admits. Sean kisses Nick’s temple, articulating his feelings as to why Nick would have watched the film over and over again.

“I don’t like the ending.” Nick mumbles, as they watch Proculus die.

Given their lives, Sean could see why that would be, and promising that he’s not going to die would be too cruel. It’s his turn to pull Nick close and impart comfort.

Nick’s hand traces down the side of Sean’s face, gently touching the bruises which are much more colorful now. Sean moves in for the kiss. He’s nowhere near one hundred percent, but he’s not exhausted any more, and a little activity isn’t going to set him back any.

They’re really getting into it, but it’s sweet and tender as Nick reins himself in so as not to hurt Sean. And Sean’s on board with that, because it’s just as good this way, and his ribs are not too happy with him. Nothing he can’t handle, but too much rough stuff isn’t happening.

Sean’s entertaining himself by trailing kisses across Nick’s chest when he feels it. The gentle graze of teeth over that spot. The one that sends shivers of delight down Sean’s spine.

When they’re really into each other, things often get carried away, and Nick likes to bite. Sean likes to be bitten. Fair exchange being no robbery, it’s just that Grimm love bites take time to heal, even for a half-zauberbiest, and they leave some very obvious marks. The love bite on his neck Sean barely managed to conceal beneath carefully applied make-up. At least that one didn’t break the skin.

But Nick is ghosting over his claim bite, Grimms are primal creatures in their own way, and it was about that time that Adalind had made a reappearance. They had just gotten together, and Nick was jealous. The claim bite had actually drawn blood, and Nick was both mortified and curiously gratified to have laid his claim so soundly. 

Nick’s touch on that place makes Sean quiver all over. They are two dominant creatures, but the alpha in Sean responds to the bite in a very primal way, and right now his primal side wants to flip over, and pin Nick down. Then do delicious and wicked things to his amazingly beautiful body.

The pain in Sean’s overstressed ribs thinks otherwise, and Sean cannot suppress the wince when the primal in Nick rises to push back.

“Oh god… Sean, I’m sorry.” Nick plants some slightly panicked kisses on Sean’s shoulder as Sean presses his hand to his side and wishes he had thought before he acted.

“It’s okay.” Which would have sounded more convincing if he hadn’t been wheezing when he said it.

“Not okay.” Nick wraps his arms firmly around Sean, avoiding the bruised ribs, and pulls him closer. “I hurt you.” There’s this tiny little hint of a pout, and Sean practically wants to melt, because Nick’s freakin’ adorable here.

There is also the vaguest suggestion that Nick’s size woes are still making him a little bit sensitive, the pain in Sean’s side has dulled to a minor twinge or two, the headache that’s been troubling him for a while is easing, and his cute, hot Grimm is right there.

Sean plans his move and pounces.

Nick actually squeaks a little as he’s swept down, stretched out on his back and pinned down by Sean’s larger form and superior weight.

Now they’re really playing. Sean adjusts his moves to deal with his ribs, the other cuts and bruises a very minor annoyance, Nick keeps trying to lunge upwards, trying to bite, and there’s great big and very dirty grin on Sean’s face.

“Mine.” He whispers, leaning in to tease Nick’s lips with the light pressure of his own.

“Mine.” The Grimm growls back.

Sean’s eyes sparkle with the light of battle, and he stoops to conquer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And yes, Sasha Roiz played Proculus in Pompeii.
> 
> By the way, I lied... said this was a two parter... it's definitely a three... or


	3. The 'Iversary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They've been together six months. It's time for a celebration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You will drown in the schmoop, and possibly go into sugar-shock for the rest of your life. Dare I even mention the fluff.

It’s their six month ‘anniversary’ and Sean is taking his Nick out for a romantic meal. It’s kind of a big deal for both of them. The chances of them being seen out, virtually advertising their relationship, are great.

Nick’s nervous. It’s one of Sean’s favourite restaurants and Nick knows it’s high-end, classy and expensive. Sean likes his luxuries, and Nick certainly doesn’t begrudge him that, but Nick’s facing one of those ‘I haven’t a thing to wear’ moments that’s kinda freaking him out.

Then Sean gives him the shirt. It’s Nick’s size, in that glorious shade of lilac that Nick adores on Sean, and when Nick tries it on, the soft and very expensive material feels incredible against his skin, and he’s not vain, but damn the shirt looks good on him too. He feels like he should be annoyed with his boyfriend because damn, this is really expensive, not that Nick knows exactly how much Sean pays for his shirts (because that would be a little too weird), but he can take a fairly good stab at a guess; but the look in Sean’s eyes, when Nick shows the shirt off, well… Nick can deal with his feelings about being kept, just to see that look in those gorgeous green eyes again.

Sean Renard would be cool, calm and collected if he was standing knee-deep in boiling water. He prides himself on being unflappable.

Except there’s a jewellery box burning a hole in his desk drawer and in his mind. He suspects the overall sensation of freaking out is what it feels like to be scared out of his wits.

This is a lot more than a six-month-iversary. On the contents of that box, and the question that Sean plans to ask at dinner, rides the whole of Sean’s future happiness.

There are a lot of things about this relationship that are completely new to Sean. Nick has absolutely no agenda. Sean doesn’t actually believe he has ever met or been attracted to someone who didn’t have an agenda before. It’s strange. His frame of reference for most things in his life is a shitty childhood spent running for his life, people who wanted to get involved with him for the prestige his blood heritage would bring them, a mother who loved him, but never taught him how to love, and never really settling in one place long enough to get settled.

Suddenly he’s in this relationship with a man ten years younger than himself, who couldn’t really tell a lie if his life depended on it, who threw himself into what they have with complete openness, and Sean feels the glimmer of something completely new within himself.

He’s spent the best part of three months, living with Nick, examining his feelings and honestly, it’s been like learning a new language. Sometimes it feels like he’s fluent, other times, like they are both fluent, sadly in different languages… and then there have been the moments when Sean’s caught like a tourist with a phrase book and no clue how to pronounce the sentence that will get him what he needs and wants.

The only thing he is now absolutely certain of is that he wants this strange feeling to last forever.

Sean Renard is on a hunt, and the prize is Nick Burkhardt.

Hank and Wu watch the two of them almost constantly. At first Hank was suspicious of Renard’s motives, but now, he’s actually concerned that Nick is the more grounded of the two.

For the last two weeks, Renard has been shaky. Outwardly, his unflappable, controlled self, but Hank’s known the man for nearly six years, and Wu even longer. They can tell when the Captain is on his game, and in six years, the Captain has never been off his game. Until now.

The Captain leaves early. Or would have but he clearly forgot something, and Hank and Wu witness him leaving for a second time.

Nick has brought his clothes to work. He’s going to change and meet Sean at the restaurant. It’s an occasion, he wants to look really nice for his boyfriend, after Sean gives him the shirt, Nick figures he needs a new suit to go with it, and the shirt needed a sumptuous tie to go with it. Nick has never spent so much money on a suit and a tie in his life before, but it’s a special occasion, right.

Sean has a love of luxury, and is always impeccably attired. But this is THE night, so he goes into his wardrobe for THE suit. Three pieces, black, sumptuous hand-woven fabric, but it’s the vest with the real gold thread pinstripe, that lifts the beautifully tailored suit out of the fine, into the extraordinary. Sean has a black silk shirt and a plain black tie to wear with it, it turns heads this suit. He knows he looks good, he wants to look very good for the man he loves.

Sean is a master of detail. He checks his reflection, checks his inside jacket pocket for his wallet, checks his pant’s pocket for the box. So intent on the details that he almost misses the doorman’s call for his taxi.

By some alchemy, Nick arrives first. He nervously checks his reflection in the door as he enters. His eyes tell him he looks good, which steadies his nerve a little.

He’s shown to their table, asked if he would like to begin with a drink, and Nick declines, he’ll wait for Sean.

It’s as though the air changes. Nick looks up, and sees Sean coming towards him, and the thing that runs through his head is _beautiful, beautiful creature._

Dressed in jet black, Nick has never seen his Captain look so good. So exotic… so utterly intoxicating. His wesen boyfriend is simply breathtaking.

Their waitress is a young woman, well used to the attention she receives from her male customers. But not tonight. Strangely she doesn’t mind, the way they look at each other is something so perfect that she really doesn’t want to interrupt.

Nick isn’t certain if it’s a perfect moment or not, but there comes a moment when they are waiting for their dessert and Nick looks up from his wine glass, Sean’s looking at him, it’s the bashful expression, almost shy, like he’s steeling himself for something, and Nick holds his breath.

It is perfect, as Nick looks from the ring, to the face of his love, to the hope in the green eyes as his Captain goes down on one knee in front of a packed restaurant and asks his Grimm to marry him.

A thousand words rush through Nick’s head right then, so fast they almost leave him dizzy, all of them _Yes._

He doesn’t know if he said it, but Sean’s getting to his feet, and the joy on his face is like nothing Nick has experienced before, and then he’s in his Captain’s arms, and Sean is kissing him passionately, Nick’s up on his tip-toes again, and he doesn’t even care, because if Sean holds him like this for the rest of his life, Nick is pretty sure he could give up breathing.

Nick comes back to himself, to realize that the thundering in his ears is not the beating of his heart, but the applause from the other diners in the packed restaurant. He sits down, still in a bit of a daze, his hand still in Sean’s, as his boyfriend slides the ring onto Nick’s finger.

Other diners have recognized the Captain, and the outpouring of goodwill and congratulations adds to the party atmosphere. They linger a little over dessert and coffee, but the urge to be alone with their joy cannot be denied.

They leave the restaurant hand in hand, and it dawns on Nick that this is a very modern relationship, where he can hold hands with his boyfr… fiancé and no one will care.

After they shut the world out, alone in the apartment, Sean turns to Nick. “Thank you.”

Nick tilts his head, wondering what his Captain has to thank him for.

“For being you, for making me the happiest man alive.” It’s so simple, almost cheesy, but the utter sincerity in Sean’s voice, and the golden glow in his eyes… Nick slips his arms around his fiancé’s waist, and leans back a little. Promising to his lover without words that whatever Sean Renard’s life experiences, his Grimm loves him.

Nick’s used to reading Sean now. He can differentiate the tiny micro-expressions on his normally impassive mate’s face. This one is a new one. Unconditional love.

Nick’s fingers gently fumble with the elegant buttons on Sean’s vest, as Sean’s fingers reach for Nick’s tie. The passion is there, but they peel each item off slowly, savouring each touch, each kiss as they make their way to the bedroom until finally they’re naked.

Sean sits, reaching out to lift his Nick until the smaller man straddles Sean’s lap. There’s an impish gleam in his Grimm’s eyes.

“Mine.” He growls, and swoops. Sean lets himself be pushed back onto the bed, lets their usual positions be reversed, lets Nick pin him, fingers entwined, hands being held to the mattress either side of his head, thighs being held down by Nick’s lower legs.

Even in his human form, Sean could flip Nick, sheer body mass would do it, but Sean revels in this, his alpha instincts rising up to meet Nick’s.

The blue-grey eyes are dancing now, Nick leans down, and Sean suppresses a yelp as the Grimm connects with Sean’s collarbone. Teeth nip, and Sean gasps as the primal takes over.


	4. Fangs For The Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grimm bites, and a little subtle retaliation.

It was wild last night, and Sean knows that he’s sporting a lot of bites. He claimed Nick again, licked the claim bite until it started to heal. He’s up before his fiancé, which really isn’t a surprise, passion exploded between them. The regnant is more… durable. Though the Grimm really gives as good as he gets.

He looks in the mirror above the vanity.

_Sweet charity._

He looks like he tangled with a jagerbär and lost. There are a string of bites right across both collarbones, Nick’s been particularly creative with his own claim bite on the back of Sean’s neck, just where his neck meets his shoulder. A place that drives Sean out of his mind when Nick even grazes it with his teeth. Well the circle of small but deeply bruised bites which ring Nick’s claim mark are not grazes, the two on the fleshier part of his shoulder have bled, and when Sean twists to better inspect the damage, he sees something that makes him both crazy angry and want to burst out laughing at the same time.

He twists the other way to fully inspect it, using the hand mirror that Adalind had left behind some time.

On his back, exactly over his heart, Nick has bitten a string of Grimm Love Bites into a heart shape. They are deep and fierce, and passionate, and playful and vaguely ridiculous but adorable at the same time, and Sean must be really seriously in love with his Grimm because this is just too much.

Sean is all over bites, this is why he keeps his shirt on and never changes in the locker room at the station. Or at least since he has been with Nick he doesn’t. Explaining Nick’s penchant for biting, and the patterns woven would be nearly impossible, and Sean is not given to explanations.

They are fiancés now, Sean guesses that was what put the idea into Nick’s head, and fuck if he hadn’t driven Sean right off the cliff with him.

Cautiously Sean pokes a bite. It aches a little. It will take quite a while to heal, and he knows without further thought that the heart shaped bite is going to mark just as much as the claim bite on the back of his neck.

Sean likes being claimed, and that’s the truth of it. He likes the way Nick flicks his tongue over Sean’s overheated skin, and mouths at the claim mark steadily driving Sean absolutely wild. He loves that Nick sneaks in, and lays sneaky bites, he knows how to induce just enough pressure to leave a mark without waking his lover.

A very gentle kiss ghosts the heart-shaped bite marks, and Sean shivers a little in pure pleasure.

“Morning.” A second gentle kiss, pressed against his skin.

“Morning, my love.” Sean turns, and pulls his Nick into his arms. Nick’s hand comes up, and gently cradles Sean’s cheek. The look in his eyes is so heart-felt, and tender, Sean can’t even begin to be annoyed by the bites.

He explores his fiancé with soft kisses while he mentally reviews his wardrobe. His shirt collars won’t hide the love bites, but he has a couple of turtleneck cashmere sweaters that will. A tiny little seed is planted. Sean is going to have to change up his wardrobe today, but he can still get a small amount of subtle revenge.

His Grimm is fierce and possessive.

Nick pulls back a little, just in time to catch a little smirk on his Captain’s face.

“What?”

Sean shakes his head “nothing.” He can’t help it, there’s the tiniest twitch of a smirk, a mere curving of his lips, gone in an instant.

Nick is suspicious, but they have lingered too long, and he needs to leave very shortly or he’s not going to meet Hank on time. 

An hour later when Nick’s sitting at his desk researching the background on his suspect, his Captain strides through the bull pen. Several jaws drop, not just Nick’s.

The Captain’s dressed in black, turtleneck fine-knit sweater, tucked into cargo pants, leather biker jacket over the top, sturdy high-quality military-pattern boots on his feet.

Five minutes later, Sean’s standing in the doorway to his office, the jacket’s off, the sleeves of the sweater are pushed up exposing tanned well-muscled forearms, and the fine knit clings to every inch of Sean’s powerful, beautifully defined upper body. He’s holding a folder and beckoning to his detectives.

Nick’s glad he’s sitting down, because his reaction is very primal indeed.

Hank’s looking mildly bemused, like he never suspected the Captain was that hot.

And Nick’s nearly in meltdown as his Sean is drawing some very hot covert and not so covert glances from females and males all around the room.

He gets to his feet, smacking his hand down onto the desk, knowing that Hank and Wu have now scoped out the ring. “Mine.” He hisses as he passes Hank.

Hank’s feeling just a tad bit sensitive. Renard’s suits have done an admirable job of concealing Renard’s taut, firm butt, rock hard abs, powerful shoulders and toned muscular arms. It’s a little like thinking the guy’s a smooth politician, only to find out he’s a gladiator too.

Wu’s taken a step back, objectively speaking. Renard’s peacock display is a little unusual, but not completely out of character, but it’s the signals that are passing between the Captain and Nick which Wu finds fascinating.

He’s never seen the Captain glow with happiness before, for one. The green eyes have a softness in their gaze which up until right then, Wu wasn’t certain his superior officer was capable of.

The ring on Nick’s finger tells Wu pretty much the rest of it. 

He knows that Sean Renard is from the old world of Europe, the ring on Nick’s finger, obviously expensive, is bold and modern in its design; the signal is that this is the future, and they will make something new together.

Wu shoots a quick glance at Nick. The younger detective is far less expert at concealing his feelings, the look on his face is teasing, but so loving it takes Wu’s breath away. It’s nothing anyone who does not know the Captain and Nick on a personal level would pick up.

Wu’s known Sean Renard a long time now. He’s seen how closed off and insular the Captain’s life is. That Nick Burkhardt is bringing happiness and openness to the lonely man warms Wu’s heart.

On one level Sean is very well aware that he’s showing off a little for his fiancé, he’s actually ghosting along the edge of the propriety boundaries that he set for himself a long time ago, and strangely, he’s enjoying it.

Hank pulls himself together, and checks out the looks that are passing between his partner and their boss. They look happy, and Hank feels for them both. It’s been a long time coming, but Hank is sure that they are good for each other.

He’s right behind Nick when he whispers “Congratulations.” It’s loud enough for both of them to hear him, he can’t see Nick’s reaction, but the look that’s on the Captain’s face for a split second is clearly a reflection of what Renard can see on Nick’s.

Hank knows love when he sees it.

Then Renard closes the door and they are all business again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, a little of this is personal experience, my tattoo tribute to my parents is right over my heart on my chest, and my tribute to my father's wartime service is over my heart on my back. I just felt that if Nick was going to play that way, he would stake his claim to Sean's heart in a very primal way.


	5. Love Changes Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick, Sean and a certain ceremony.

Nick’s lying in the spare bed at Juliette’s place, because suddenly Sean’s gone all traditional on him, and to a certain extent Nick is prepared to (grudgingly) concede that this is, to some people human or wesen, the society wedding of the year.

Nick almost snorts.

They’ve come a very long way, in just over a year. Things about their wedding are all about sending messages, to human and wesen alike. When it became public knowledge, they had some kind of storm to weather. But Sean did what Sean could always been relied upon to do, stage a brilliant coup and basically appease everyone without giving an inch.

Nick grins. That’s his prince. Sean may be illegitimate, half-zauberbiest and all regnant, but he’s smart, loyal (in his own way), and the missing half of Nick’s self. Indubitably royal.

He has a little twinge when he thinks of Juliette, but it’s more about the shit she’s had to put up with, and get caught up in, than a sense of loss of their romantic relationship. He remembers the day when she got mad and practically threw him into Sean’s arms.

Now she’s his Best (Wo)man. Or Maid of Honour. Nick’s still not really sure what to actually call it, but he blesses Juliette’s incredible organizational skills, and how she makes all this stuff look effortless while holding down a full time job, and occasionally helping Nick with some of the Grimm things that have become a huge part of his life in five years.

“Nick.” Juliette knocks. “It’s time to get up, and even if you and Sean decided that it’s going to be you who’s allowed to be fashionably late, there’s fashionable and then there’s just rude.”

There’s a pause. “I can’t hear movement.” The tone is distinctly accusatory, and Nick throws back the quilt.

“Okay, okay.”

“I drew your bath.” He listens for her footsteps along the passage, grabs his wash kit and pads down to the bathroom.

He shuts the door, and just hops in. “Sheesh” he yells, “it’s freezing!!”

She clearly heard him. “If you had gotten up ten minutes ago when the alarm went off, the bath water would have been hot!”

He scowls a little and speeds up his washing, lukewarm is not nice. A few minutes and he’s leaping out, wrapping himself in the toweling robe that is hanging on the back of the door and heading in the direction of the kitchen and a hearty breakfast.

Juliette is preparing bacon and eggs, and Nick is quietly savouring the bacon, his life is vegetarian now because his soon-to-be husband is vegetarian, and Nick can live without meat. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a little craving every now and then.

“mmmm…” He reaches past Juliette to grab a piece of bacon. She frowns, but lets him.

He reaches for another, Juliette holds him off with the spatula, “wait… Yikes Nick.”

He grins and heads to the fridge for juice.

“Are you ready?” She’s concentrating on the eggs, but casts him a careful glance.

Nick sobers for a moment. “Absolutely.”

Juliette’s smile holds back the tiniest little hint of regret. She loved Nick, loves him still, but the strain of the Grimm was too much for her, and she had seen the longing in Sean back even when they were far too interested in each other when Sean woke her from Adalind’s curse.

Then she had finally pulled away, seeing the need in both Nick and Sean, and shoving Nick firmly towards the man he was about to marry.

Sean Renard originally unnerved her a little. He could be absolutely terrifying when he wanted, he was tough, and sometimes arrogant, but she had watched the joy grow within him when he and Nick had gotten together, and now she understood better where he was coming from.

She dishes up the breakfast, and watches Nick tuck in, and knows for a certainty that this is absolutely right. They love and complete each other in ways that she and Nick didn’t.

Three miles away Sean Renard is contemplating the contents of his fridge and trying to decide if a large breakfast is going to settle what feels like butterflies in his stomach or just make everything worse.

He really hasn’t felt this queasy since he whiskey’d his way to oblivion a few years back thanks to hexen spells and unwanted sexual cravings.

Examining his emotions is something that Sean generally doesn’t bother with. But this is special. This is his wedding day and he’s startled to find that he’s nervous.

Not about who he’s marrying. Sean can feel the rush of emotion he gets whenever he thinks of Nick, so the who is just fine. Sean’s impatient for the who. It’s just all the trappings, and he’s unnerved about Nick maybe not showing up.

Scratch that. He’s actually terrified.

A hand gently grasps his shoulder and turns him in the direction of the breakfast bar. “Sit. I’ll do this.”

He turns his head to look at his mother. “I…”

Elizabeth Lascelles sighs, and her hand moves from his shoulder to his cheek. “Fine. It will all be fine.” He sits. “Your Grimm loves you.” She tilts her head, “somehow that ought to be a contradiction in terms, a Grimm loving a Zauberbiest, but still.”

Sean glares at her.

“I know, I know…” Elizabeth makes a placating gesture, “your Nick isn’t like that.”

He rolls his eyes a little, for a hexenbiest she sounds remarkably fond, and he knew she loved him, it was just the way their lives were. Sometimes he wished he could have had a normal life, but the crazy from the Royal side had kept them so far on edge Sean knew there were great gaps in his past. Now he was getting a shot at something that resembled a normal family life (though how normal any of this would be given the wesen life and the Grimm and everything that kept happening with Adalind), and Sean wanted that so badly the idea of losing it physically hurt.

He wanted his baby to grow up without the threats that had followed him and his mother all over Europe. The threats that had eventually caused his mother to pack him off to the US to find a life and fend for himself when he was just fifteen.

Only Nick actually knew the truth, that Captain Sean Renard was three years younger than his official paperwork. That he’d actually been a rookie beat cop almost a full year before he was even officially allowed to enter the academy.

Sean had been tall and strong even as a child, so when he shot up at fourteen, and hit his full height around his fifteenth birthday, Elizabeth had let him go.  
It hurt. But Sean was also resourceful. A life spent moving around had given him that, he was intelligent and educated far beyond what he could have found in ordinary schools, thanks to his mother. After he’d graduated the academy, he’d found night classes, and taken every advantage he could to put himself on the fast track.

He’d made Captain at a surprisingly young age. It still made him laugh a little, if the hierarchy had known his true age! And Captain was perfect. He began to consolidate his position. Of course, wesen had known the moment he had entered the area. Sean had let it be known that Portland was now a protectorate and he was its Prince. You were welcome to stay provided you fit in and didn’t cause trouble. Troublemakers were removed.

As Captain, Sean could consolidate his position amongst humans. He had obvious clout, but the true nature of his power was concealed, and he was perfectly hidden in plain sight.

Today he was going to step a little further into the light with Nick. Wesen Royalty and a Grimm.

He grins to himself, nerves having settled. He wants this. He’s finally found his place, he knows it’s not going to be unicorns and rainbows from here on in, it might even get more difficult; but he’s going to have Nick by his side. And that’s just perfect.

He takes his time over his breakfast, secure in his emotions now, wondering how Nick is faring.

Nick’s wondering how and why he’s let Juliette and Rosalee take over the whole trappings of turning him out on his wedding day, it’s his considered opinion that they have lost their minds.

He’s perfectly happy with his grey suit, it’s brand-new, wickedly expensive, his bank account is not going to forgive him for a long time, and all was right with the world until they decided he needed old, new, borrowed and blue.

Blue’s simple. Someone, probably Monroe, conjures up a pocket square from somewhere in a shade that Juliette claims matches his eyes. Which causes Rosalee and Juliette to have a moment, and Nick to roll his eyes in mild irritation. The borrowed is a tie. Also apparently Monroe’s, it’s a subtle pattern in silver and blue which echoes the suit and the pocket square and Nick is now thoroughly suspicious that Monroe’s wardrobe contains perfectly matching items which happen to perfectly complement his suit, and Monroe rolls his eyes, and makes frantic _go with it_ gestures behind Rosalee’s back.

It’s the old and new that’s giving Nick a headache. Old turns out to be a watch that once belonged to Juliette’s grandfather, and Nick is certain is far too expensive, but Juliette, ably backed by Rosalee isn’t taking no for an answer.

He’s concerned what on earth the new is going to be, but Rosalee slips a hand in his pocket and it turns out to be a newly minted quarter which she had got from the bank.

It’s only then, he realizes that his best friends have given him something from themselves, like their seal of approval for his happiness. Nick blushes deeply, and tries to find the words to thank them without tearing up. 

After the minor fuss has died down a little, he recognizes Juliette’s amazing sense of timing, it’s time to go. He’s had no time to worry, and now he’s eager to get there.

They arrive in Monroe’s little VW Beetle, and Nick’s impatient to get moving.

It’s only when he sees Sean standing waiting for him at the front that a sense of peace and rightness settles over the young Grimm. Sean seems to sense him there and looks up.

Nick doesn’t see the people, he only sees the man he loves standing there. Sean looks magnificent in his dress uniform, as Nick remembers from the speech his Captain gave about making Portland safe and keeping it safe.

Now all Nick can think about is keeping his Captain safe from the challenges he knows are coming.

Their hands entwine, and they step forward together to begin their new life as one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it... tons of fluff.
> 
> And there will be more, because I couldn't just leave Nick and Sean there. There's Sean's new house, and Nick's empathy, some really bothersome hexenbiester and an angry Fuchsbau with a human mate and a drinking problem nesting in Sean and Nick's back bedroom....
> 
> But that's another story.


End file.
